Tag: mystery

Move Over Sherlock Holmes: The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older

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Take a mystery featuring an eagle eye detective; an astute sidekick along for the ride; an atmospheric setting that conjures the obscuring, damp chill of pea-souper fog; railway journeys and train platforms; scholarly rivalries; tea and scones; and a soupçon of pining. You might be imagining Victorian London. You might even have had a certain … Continue reading Move Over Sherlock Holmes: The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older

A Murder Mystery After My Heart: Blanche on the Lam by Barbara Neely

~ lindsayehobbs ~ 2 Comments

I am eternally searching for murder mysteries that scratch a very specific itch. I have extremely high standards and a very particular set of criteria for my ideal mystery novel, which are: The mystery must be a satisfying puzzle; there can be none of that nonsense where the author springs a crucial piece of information … Continue reading A Murder Mystery After My Heart: Blanche on the Lam by Barbara Neely

Uncannily Peaceful: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

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I often dream about water. Floods, rains, storms at sea, currents of water bearing me away. Sometimes I struggle to keep my head above its surface. Occasionally I fly or sail above it. But more often than not, my dreams are watery. Susanna Clarke's long-anticipated second novel, Piranesi, fantastically combines these two elements. It has … Continue reading Uncannily Peaceful: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Janet Dailey and the Curious Case of the Missing Author

~ lindsayehobbs ~ 38 Comments

Ah, the literary mystery. I'm not talking about works of literature here; I'm talking about real life mysteries involving books and authors. Classic enigmas, like where did Agatha Christie disappear to for those eleven days? Or, What was the story behind Edgar Allan Poe's death? This particular literary mystery may not be quite on par … Continue reading Janet Dailey and the Curious Case of the Missing Author

Isabel, Isabel, didn’t worry. Isabel didn’t scream or scurry: The Adventures of Isabel: An Epitome Apartments Mystery by Candas Jane Dorsey

~ lindsayehobbs ~ 3 Comments

I don't often find a contemporary mystery novel that hits the spot. As I've mentioned before, I think that contemporary mysteries swing too far either to the cozy or the bleak. This is why, when I want a mystery fix, I always reach for the detective fiction from the Golden Age (the 1920s-40s). The authors … Continue reading Isabel, Isabel, didn’t worry. Isabel didn’t scream or scurry: The Adventures of Isabel: An Epitome Apartments Mystery by Candas Jane Dorsey